Episode 25 – Pytten’s Chamber Music: Black Metal in Grieghallen

As the ground began to swell in early ‘90s Norway, a shadowy figure known to metal fans only as “Pytten” (ne Eirik Hundvin) ensconced himself in Bergen’s Grieghallen Studio and began to document the work of the country’s Young Turks. In this frontier territory, Pytten used the cavernous spaces of Grieghallen to create a miasmic, atmospheric sound that would establish the production aesthetics for the emergent global black metal movement. For its 25th episode, Radical Research examines the morphology of Pytten’s work across a ten year span, as well as his cooperation with some of black metal’s most emblematic artists.

Note II: There isn’t much interview documentation or footage on Pytten, but here’s a great video that reveals some details we weren’t aware of at the time we recorded this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvQLSigwF2U

Note III: Pytten, much like English producer, Colin Richardson, was dragged into the world of extreme music rather innocently. His first production, for Bergen’s Old Funeral, began as a favor to one of the band members’ fathers. Solid dad move.

Note IV: As we mention in our conversation, Pytten played bass in several rock bands in the ‘80s. Apropos of this episode, he also contributed fretless bass to Enslaved’s “Yggdrasil,” from their classic 1994 album, Frost, confirming his mettle as both producer and practitioner.

Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn. Though we consume music in a variety of ways, we give particular privilege to the immersive, full-album listening experience. Likewise, we believe that tangible music formats help provide the richest, most rewarding immersions and that music, artwork, and song titles cooperate to produce a singular effect on the listener. Great music is worth more than we ever pay for it.